Big Picture

Ready for some more England vs Australia? Whatever your answer may be, there's plenty through the rest of this month with eight matches in 18 days starting with the first of three T20Is in Southampton. And from the paying punters' point of view, the late-season action is proving popular with five of the games sold out after a Sri Lanka Test series where the less-than-crammed stands on some days was a talking point.

The ridiculousness of England's schedule is again in the spotlight with this series starting the day after what would have been the last day of The Oval Test if it had gone the distance. It means an almost entirely separate squad for the T20Is - Josh Hull is the one overlap - in what is England's first series after a stuttering T20 World Cup campaign which ultimately led to the sacking of Matthew Mott.

Still, there is no shortage of white-ball pedigree in the England squad: despite a shocking ODI World Cup and an uninspired T20 version it feels their depth remains significant, and perhaps it's been a case of the golden generation being given a little too long before the next batch are let loose.

Form guide

In the spotlight: Jacob Bethell and Jake Fraser-McGurk

Team news: England had debuts to Bethell, Cox

England: 1 Phil Salt (capt & wk), 2 Will Jacks, 3 Jordan Cox, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jacob Bethell, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Saqib Mahmood, 11 Reece Topley

Marsh did not name Australia's XI but confirmed that Hazlewood was good to return after his calf niggle. He also said that if Short plays he will open the batting which potentially means Fraser-McGurk missing out.

Australia: (possible) 1 Travis Head, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk/Matt Short, 3 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Tim David, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood

Pitch and conditions

There wasn't much grass on the surface and some of the bigger boundaries in the country could should suit Australia. The autumn weather is set fair, if chilly by the evening. The match is a sellout and Hampshire are switching on 1000 solar panels at Utilita Bowl before the game.

Stats and trivia

Quotes

"We see him playing a pivotal role as Jos' right-hand man... his name stood up to the leadership qualities that you expect from your players within the group and he's got every attribute that you'd want and the respect that you'd want from a captain."
Marcus Trescothick on Salt deputising for Buttler

"No matter what format, they're our oldest rivals and we love coming here. The reception we get as an Australian cricket team's always a good one."
Mitchell Marsh on the playing England again